Starmobile Up Neo unveiled, octa-core smartphone which can double as a remote

Yesterday, Happy Man by Starmobile officially announces their newest addition under the Up series which is the UP NEO.

Judging by the specs, the Up Neo is your usual octa-core smartphone from local brands. It has a 5.3-inch IPS display with an HD resolution. Well, the screen size is a bit unusual but you'll get used to it anyway. Running inside the device is a MediaTek MT6592M chipset which is a slightly tuned down version of MT6592. It is paired with 1GB of RAM and it has 16GB of internal storage which, thankfully is expandable via microSD card up to 32GB.

Talking about the camera, it has a 13-megapixel autofocus rear-camera with BSI and f/2.2 aperture and of course, an LED flash. One can say that it can perform very well since Starmobile is known for their smartphone cameras. If you're a selfie lover, you'll be happy to hear that it has a 5-megapixel front shooter coupled with another LED flash.

It has 3G HSPA+, Dual-SIM capabilities, WI-FI, Bluetooth, and GPS w/A-GPS and othet stuffs. What's unusual here is that it also comes with an IR blaster so basically, your octa-core phone can now double as a remote control. Well, basically, you can use it for your TV's, Radios, and other remote-controlled appliances as long as you have the code to pair with.

I can simply notice that Starmobile is doing something strange here, first, they unveiled a bunch of devices with digital-TV and  here they are unveiling a device which can double as a remote. (Well, forget about this, HeHe)

Last but not the least, it has a 2,500mAh battery which I think is enough for casual day to day usage.

It also runs on Android Lollipop out of the box since the MediaTek is not yet releasing the source code for Android Lollipop for their MT6592 and MT6592M chipset. (Just a little info so you'll not blame the manufacturers)

So it retails for P6,490.00 but if you want true value for money, then you can check the Flare X which is priced the same.

Meizu MX5 now official !

Meizu's latest flagship finally made its official debut yesterday making an end to the countless leaks that surrounded it. Well, some of those leaks are eventually true.

So, the MX5 features a full metal unibody with two plastic strips running through the back to avoid radio signal disruption. Talking about the display, Meizu opted for a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD resolution and is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

Beneath the display is the physical home key with a fingerprint sensor. The mTouch reader is upgraded to version 2.0 and as such, gave it a more circular design and is more faster and accurate.

Top-notch performance is to be expected since powering the device is a MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 chipset. Multi-tasking wouldn't be a problem either since it has 3GB of RAM. Three storage options are available namely 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.

Camera-wise, the MX5 features a 20.7MP primary shooter with 6-element lens covered in Gorilla Glass 3. It has f/2.2 aperture and partnered with a dual-tone LED flash. Focusing is handled by a small laser module beneath the LED flash. It can capture 4K videos and is capable of producing 120-frames of slow motion videos at 720p. For selfies, it has a 5MP front-facing shooter with f/2.0 aperture for those low-light selfie of yours.

On the connectivity side, the MX5 features your usual array of options such as dual-band WI-FI, Bluetooth, GPS w/A-GPS and GLONASS support. It's also dual-SIM capable as well and both of the slots support 4G LTE bands.

Supplying the device with juice is a 3,150mAh battery and to make it more convenient, Meizu also included the mCharge feature which is makes the device go from zero to 25% in just 10 minutes.

Lastly, the MX5 runs on the Android Lollipop-based Flyme OS 4.5

The MX5 comes in deep grey, silver, and
champagne gold colors, costing CNY 1,800 ($290)
for the basic 16GB version. The 32GB version will
sell for CNY 1,999 ($322) and the top-of-the-line
64GB one has a price tag of CNY2,399 ($390).

MEIZU MX5

• 5.5-inch AMOLED display (1920x1080 pixels, 401ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 chipset
• 2.2Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53
• 700Mhz PowerVR GC6800 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 16GB/32GB/64GB internal storage options
• 20.7MP rear-camera w/dual-tone LED flash and laser-assisted autofocus (f/2.2 aperture, 6-element lens)
• 5MP front-facing camera (f/2.0 aperture)
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat. 4
• Dual SIM, Dual LTE
• WI-FI a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 4.1
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou support
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB (type C)
• 3,150mAh battery
• Android 5.xx Lollipop w/Flyme OS 4.5

(Source : GSMArena.com)

MyPhone Rio Pixie hinted, a selfie centric phone

Yesterday, MyPhone teased their upcoming selfie phone via promotional poster posted on their Facebook page and they named it as the Rio Pixie. As part of the Rio line, I expected it to bear some resemblance from other Rio handsets. And yes, indeed it is available in different color options.

The complete list of specs are not yet revealed but MyPhone hinted that it will sport 8-megapixel cameras (rear and front) both of which are partnered with an LED flash. They also included "Fotoku" selfie app dedicated for those perfect selfie of yours. Other specs include a 4.8-inch AMOLED display, a quad-core MediaTek MT6582 chipset, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage and it runs on Android Lollipop out of the box.

The rest of the specs are yet to be announced on the following days.

The Rio Pixie is priced at only P7,599.00 and to complete the wholesome selfie experience, MyPhone would also include a FREE selfie stick or monopod for every purchase.

It might become available later this week.

Cherry Mobile Cubix Cube, 2GB RAM for under 4.5K, exclusively available ONLINE

Beside from the Flare X, Cherry Mobile introduced another bang for the back smartphone sporting 2GB of RAM for under 4,500 pesos. But there's a catch, this phone is only available thru online purchase so patience is the key for this one.

So Cubix is Cherry Mobile's new smartphone line exclusively available for online purchases only. And the first smartphone to be introduce under this smartphone line is the CUBE.

The Cherry Mobile Cubix Cube is by far, the cheapest and only smartphone under 5K with 2GB of RAM. Good to hear right ?

Aside from having an enormous amount of RAM for its price, it also boasted hardware specs which you'll normally find on smartphones 5K above. First, it has a 5-inch Full-laminated, on-cell IPS display with an HD resolution. Running inside is a 1.4Ghz MediaTek MT6592M octa-core chipset, again, coupled with 2GB of RAM. It has 16GB of internal storage, by which, thankfully is expandable via microSD card.

Camera wise, it has a 13-megapixel snapper at the back, of course with autofocus and LED flash. At front is a 5-megapixel snapper for your casual selfies.

CHERRY MOBILE CUBIX CUBE

• 5-inch On-cell, Full-laminated IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi)
• MediaTek MT6592M chipset
• 1.4Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 450Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP AF rear-camera w/LED flash
• 5MP front-facing camera
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+
• Dual-SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, WI-FI hotspot
• Bluetooth
• GPS w/A-GPS support
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB 2.0
• 2,000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P4,490.00

The Cherry Mobile Cubix Cube might become available for purchase this July thru Lazada.ph only. So if you're planning to get one, start saving your money NOW.

Credits to : Jamonline.ph (for the images)

Cherry Mobile unveils Flare X, is it better than Alcatel Flash Plus ?

Recently, at a press launch, Cherry Mobile unveiled their newest addition to their Flare budget series of smartphones named as the FLARE X.

Dubbed as their "all-in-one powerhouse", the Flare X is Cherry Mobile's answer to the Alcatel Flash Plus which sold like pancakes every time a sale opens. Truth to be told, just looking at it's spec sheet will make you think twice if you're comparing this with the Flash Plus since they're almost at par with each other and they're even priced reasonably the same.

So what will you get for 6,999 pesos ? Well, the Flare X has a 5.5-inch IPS OGS display with Full HD resolution covered in Gorilla Glass 3. Running inside is a MediaTek MT6752 chipset coupled with 3GB of RAM ! (WOW). By far, this is the only smartphone below 7K with that amount of RAM.

You'll be also glad to hear that the optics won't dissapoint since it has a 13-megapixel Sony IMX214 BSI rear-camera w/dual-LED flash. For selfies, a 5-megapixel front facing snapper would do the job.

If you're worrying about charging the Flare X each and every time, then worry no more. Cherry Mobile generously included a 3,000mAh battery which, IMO can supply the phone with enough juice throughout the day.

CHERRY MOBILE FLARE X

• 5.5-inch IPS OGS LCD display (1920x1080 pixels, 401ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• MediaTek MT6752 64-bit chipset
• 1.7Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53
• 700Mhz ARM Mali-T760MP2 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, memory expansion (TBC)
• 13MP AF BSI Sony IMX214 rear-camera w/dual-LED flash
• 5MP front-facing camera
• WI-FI a/b/g/n, WI-FI hotspot, direct
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat. 4
• Dual-SIM (TBC)
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS support
• Bluetooth, NFC support
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB 2.0
• 3,000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat upgradable to 5.0 Lollipop

SRP : P6,999.00

Again, it priced the same with the Flash Plus but, it does have its own advantages over the mentioned smartphone like the 3GB of RAM, Full HD display, and a slightly faster processor.

According to Cherry Mobile, the Flare X wouls become available this July and might feel its presence on their stores before August.toCredits to : Unbox.ph (for the images)

Starmobile unveiled the Up Max, 5000mAh massive battery smartphone with DTV !

Another addition to Starmobile's UP series made its debut yesterday. This time, with a massive battery !

Basically, the Up Max is Starmobile's first ever smartphone to ship with a 5,000mAh of battery (WOW !). Running inside is a MediaTek MT6582 chipset partnered by 1GB of RAM. It sports a 5-inch IPS HD display protected by Dragontrail Glass.

Other specs include a 13MP Sony IMX135 Exmor RS snapper with LED flash, your usual set of connectivity choices such as 3G, WI-FI, GPS w/A-GPS support, Bluetooth.
As mentioned, it also sports a digital TV receiver which is ISDB-T compliant. It also supports USB-OTG.

To finish this off, it runs on Android Lollipop out of the box.

STARMOBILE UP MAX

• 5-inch IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi), Dragontrail Glass
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 13MP AF BSI (Sony IMX135 EXMOR RS) rear-camera w/LED flash
• 5MP front-facing camera
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, WI-FI hotspot
• Bluetooth
• GPS w/A-GPS support
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB 2.0, USB-OTG support
• Digital TV receiver (ISDB-T)
• 5,000mAh battery
• Android 5.0 Lollipop

SRP : P7,490.00

Nothing to be expected when it comes to performance BUT it does pack a massive amount of power to get you throughout the day.

Plus it comes with a digital TV receiver so you can watch all your favorite TV shows without sacrificing the battery life.

Meizu MX5 more rumors, spotted in TENAA

New information about Meizu's upcoming flagship smartphone began spreading again as it is spotted on the Chinese regulator, TENAA. A short hands-on video featuring the rumored successor of last year's MX4 was shown emphasizing some of its core specifications.

So according to the new info, the MX5 would sport a 5.5-inch AMOLED display which unfortunately, will remain at 1080p. The rumored chipset would be the unannounced MediaTek MT6793 64-bit chipset with 2.3Ghz octa-core processor (probably an ARM Cortex-A53) partnered by 3GB of RAM. Internal storage would be sufficient at 16GB which is expandable via microSD card up to 128GB.

The optics is said to feature a 20MP snapper with 4x optical zoom and dual-tone LED flash although it's still nothing but unconfirmed.

The MX5 got thinner but design wise, it looks similar with the MX4 but the good news is, despite having a thinner frame, the engineers managed to fit a 3,500mAh battery to power the device. The hardware home button up front has a fingerprint sensor so that's an added value for money.

Lastly, it boots on Android 5.0.1 out of the box layered with Meizu's proprietary Flyme 4.5 UI.

Reports said that the MX5 will become official on June 30 and due to become available next month.

Cherry Mobile Cosmos S2 launched, Snapdragon 615 for only P9,999

Way back then, Cosmos S2 made an appearance in a leaked Cherry Mobile brochure with some of its core features highlighted like 64-bit chipset, LTE and an AMOLED display all for the price of just 9,999 pesos.

It took them almost 3 months before officially unveiling it to the public. With Chinese brands bringing bang for the buck deals, will Cosmos S2 bring Cherry Mobile's lost reputation back for "smartphone ng masa" ?

Looking at its specs sheet, the Cosmos S2 is no slouch. Powering the device is a Snapdragon 615 chipset which promises seamless smartphone experience. Multi-tasking is handled by 2GB of RAM and it has a sizeable amount of storage at 16GB.

Talking about the display, it has a 5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels resulting into 294ppi. It is covered and protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

More from its hardware includes a 13MP AF BSI rear snapper coupled by an 8MP AF BSI front facing one for selfies, your usual set of connectivity options such as 3G, LTE, GPS, Bluetooth and WI-FI. Lastly, a 2,260mAh pf battery powers the device. Did I forget to mention that it supports Quick Charge 2.0 since it's a Qualcomm device meaning it can charge up to 60% for only 30 minutes. Although it only supports quick charging chargers so I hope Cherry Mobile will supply one on the retail package.

The good news is, it runs on Android Lollipop upon first boot so you'll be getting the 64-bit performance advantage.

CHERRY MOBILE COSMOS S2

• 5-inch AMOLED display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 64-bit chipset
• 1.7Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 and 1Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 w/ARM big.LITTLE technology
• Adreno 405 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP AF BSI rear-camera w/LED flash
• 8MP BSI front-facing camera w/Beautification features
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat. 4
• Dual SIM, Dual LTE
• WI-FI, WI-FI direct, hotspot
• Bluetooth
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS support
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB 2.0
• 2,260mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 5.0.2 Lollipop

SRP : P9,999.00

My biggest gripe with the Cosmos S2 is the unamusing battery. But since its chipset utilized ARM's big.LITTLE architecture, power consumption will be lessened if you'll just use the device for casual texts, calls or just idle. And Quick Charge 2.0 compensates for the low amount of battery.
So that's it, what do you think ? Let us know !

Lenovo A7000 will be put on sale this June 9 !

Bang for the buck smartphones are making trends lately that consumers are getting confused on what to choose and what's right for them.

Remember Alcatel's Onetouch Flash Plus ? Well, the very moment that it appeared on Lazada.ph, it was sold-out immediately forcing Alcatel to make another sale today.

So Lenovo wanted to start the same trend that Alcatel made bringing their newest bang-for-the-buck smartphone on our shores, the A7000 !

For those who are wondering, here are the specifications :

LENOVO A7000

• 5.5-inch IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 268ppi)
• MediaTek MT6752M 64-bit chipset
• 1.5Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53
• 700Mhz ARM Mali-T760MP2 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 8MP AF rear-camera w/dual LED flash
• 5MP front-facing camera
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat. 4
• Dual SIM
• WI-Fi a/b/g/n, WI-FI direct, hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.0
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS support
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB 2.0
• 2,900mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 5.0 Lollipop w/Vibe UI

SRP : P7,499.00

So Lenovo A7000 will be available on Lazada.ph starting on June 9 at 12NN. Take note that it's exclusively available for Lazada only.

Upon purchasing, you will get free Audio Technica headset and a free Globe SIM card with free 100MB consumable internet as well.

So mark the date and start the wait !

Cherry Mobile Alpha Prime Series : First ever Windows 10 smartphones from a local brand

Cherry Mobile keeps on getting better. First, they appeared at MWC 2015 (the first local brand to do so) and now, they made an appearance again, this time in Taiwan for the annual Computex event.

Of course, their presence on the said event has a purpose. Two new smartphones were unveiled, the thing is, those were the first smartphones running on Windows 10 from a local brand. Meet the Alpha Prime series !

To make things even better, Cherry Mobile said that the two aforementioned smartphones will retail under 5,000 pesos or below $110. Before I forgot, with that price you'll also get LTE connectivity ! (Just WAWE !)

Of course, don't expect too much from this two devices since they're priced cheaper at their best.

Without further ado, here are the Alpha Prime series :

CHERRY MOBILE ALPHA PRIME 4

• 4-inch IPS LCD display (Resolution TBA)
• Qualcomm MSM8909 Snapdragon 210 chipset
• 1.1Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• Adreno 304 GPU
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 5MP rear-camera w/LED flash
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat. 4
• WI-FI, Bluetooth, GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB 2.0
• Windows 10

CHERRY MOBILE ALPHA PRIME 5

• 5-inch IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi)
• Qualcomm MSM8909 Snapdragon 210 chipset
• 1.1Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• Adreno 304 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 8MP rear-camera w/LED flash
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat. 4
• WI-FI, Bluetooth, GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB 2.0
• Windows 10

Their respective prices are not yet announced but again, both will surely retail for a price below 5K.

Kudos to Cherry Mobile for reaching anothet milestone in our local smartphone scene.

HTC One ME launched in China !

Taiwanese smartphone giant HTC had been doing things silently for a while. They're launching some newer phone models on their target markets "secretly" or should I say those releases are not gathering much media attention. So recently, a new high-end model named One ME made it's debut this week in China.

HTC One ME is no slouch. Having the "One" moniker means that it packs a punch when it comes to hardware related specifications.

As opposed to its One siblings, the One ME isn't made from aluminum (except for the metal trimmings present on the sides) but nevertheless, it does look similar with other One devices except that it featured a physical home button.

So running inside the plastic shell is a MediaTek Helio X10 chipset (MT6795) that utilizes eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores and is clocked at 2.2Ghz each. Graphics is handled by the PowerVR GC6200 GPU clocked at 700Mhz to flawlessly render 3D-games smoothly.

It has a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1440x2560 pixels or quad-HD (QHD). Other specs include 3GB of on-board RAM, 32GB of internal storage which, thankfully is expandable. A 20MP rear-facing snapper capable of taking videos up to UHD resolution is present as well and is coupled by a 4MP UltraPixel camera for selfie lovers.
It runs on Android Lollipop out of the box layered with HTC Sense UI.

Lastly, it has a 2,820mAh of battery to supply the device with enough juice to use throughout the day.

So as for my tradition, here are the full list of specifications :

HTC ONE ME

• 5.2-inch Super LCD3 display (1440x2560 pixels, 565ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (TBC)
• MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 64-bit chipset
• 2.2Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53
• 700Mhz PowerVR GC6200 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB
• 20MP rear-facing camera w/dual-tone LED flash
• 4MP UltraPixel front-facing camera
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat.4, TD-SCDMA, TD-LTE
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), WI-FI direct, hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.1
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• NFC support
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro-USB 2.0
• 2,840mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 5.X Lollipop w/HTC Sense UI
• HTC BoomSound speakers w/Dolby Surround

No words are coming from HTC as of now if they will bring it outside of the Chinese market.

(News Source: GSMArena.com)

Asus Zenbook UX305FA and UX350FA now available !

Aside from unveiling the Zenfone Selfie, Asus also introduced their newest addition to Zenbook line of laptop computers at this year's Computex that took place in Taipei. The Zenbook UX305FA and UX350FA

So Asus made the Zenbook as thin as it can be featuring a refined black metal finish to make it look more premium in the eyes. Well IMO, it can even compete with Apple's 2015 MacBook Air when it comes to aesthetics.

Despite having a slim build, the Zenbook doesn't disappoint. Running inside the metal shell is an Intel Core-M processor which is specifically designed for thin notebooks ensuring buttery smooth performance without the need of a fan to cool it down. Well, it's the same processor used by Apple for their MacBooks.

As the title indicates, the Zenbook comes in two variants with different core features for you to look at.

ASUS ZENBOOK UX305FA

• 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display (Non-touch)
• 1.1Ghz Intel Core-M (5Y10) dual-core processor
• 4GB DDR3-L RAM
• 128GB SATA M.2 SSD

SRP : P34,995.00

ASUS ZENBOOK UX350FA

• 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display (Non-touch)
• 1.2Ghz Intel Core-M (5Y71) dual-core processor
• 8GB DDR3-L RAM
• 256GB SATA M.2 SSD

SRP : P46,995.00

Both of them are running on Windows 8.1 upon boot up and it may even receive the Windows 10 update in the near future.

So basically, the Zenbook is a cheaper alternative to Apple's MacBook. I just hope that they won't get sued. (HEHE)

Meizu M2 Note now official !

Seizure's finally made it official as they unveiled the M2 Note at a press launch which took place in Beijing, China. So after all, those rumors which began spreading from the past few weeks were all true.

As for this release, Meizu opted for Sharp's IGZO display which as we know is far more better than your usual IPS display and is more battery efficient. What's unusual is that it's running on a lower-powered chipset unlike its predecessor which contradicts the previous leaks that it will sport a MediaTek Helio X10 chipset but nevertheless, it still managed to bring some few changes from the M1 Note. And as expected, NO fingerprint sensor or the likes on M1 Note 2. BUT the new hardware button does sport a feature called "mBack" but we're still not sure what it really translates to.

More from the hardware features includes Global LTE support at Cat. 4 which promises faster LTE connectivity wherever you are.

So here is the preliminary list of specifications to look at :

MEIZU M2 NOTE

• 5.5-inch Sharp IGZO display (1920x1080 pixels, 403ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 4 (TBC)
• MediaTek MT6753 64-bit chipset
• 1.3Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53
• 700Mhz ARM Mali-T720MP3 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB/32GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB (uses SIM2 slot)
• 13MP AF BSI rear-camera (1/3.06" Samsung sensor , f/2.2 aperture with 5-piece blue lens and Gorilla Glass 3 protection) w/dual-tone LED flash
• 5MP AF front-facing camera (69° wide-angle, f/2.0 aperture)
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA, 4G LTE Cat. 4
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), WI-Fi direct, hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, LE
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS support
• 3.5mm audio jack
• micro USB 2.0, USB host
• 3100mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 5.1 Lollipop w/Flyme UI 4.5
• 150.9 x 75.2 x 8.7mm, 149g

Well, it does retain some of M1 Note's hardware but AGAIN, it still managed to bring in some new features like memory expansion and global LTE support which will make it worth to be called a "successor" to say the least.

According to the sources, it will become available this month with decreased color options but it added a polished grey variant. and might be priced slightly higher than the M1 Note. Maybe around Php. 9,000+ or $210+. No words from Novo7 Tech about its availability in our market as of yet.

Asus Zenfone Selfie unveiled at Computex 2015

Today, the highly anticipated smartphone for selfie lovers offically made its debut at this year's Computex at Taipei, Taiwan.

So as the name suggested, the Zenfone Selfie has a 13MP front-facing camera with dual-tone LED flash. It's just perfect for selfie lovers out there, of course you can also use it for "groupies" with your barkadas and colleagues. Not only that it has an amazing front-camera, flipping the device will reveal its 13MP rear-camera that utilizes a laser phase-detection autofocus (Same as the LG G3).

As part of the Zenfone line, we expected it to see running on an Intel Atom chipset but no, instead it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset ticking inside.

Other hardware includes 4G LTE connectivity, 2GB and 3GB RAM variants, and 16GB or 32GB storage options.

Here are the full list of specifications :

ASUS ZENFONE SELFIE

• 5.5-inch IPS LCD display (1920x1080 pixels, 403ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 4, Oleophobic coating
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 64-bit chipset
• 1.7Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 and 1Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53
• Adreno 405 GPU
• 2GB/3GB RAM
• 16GB/32GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP laser autofocus, BSI w/dual-tone LED flash
• 13MP AF BSI front-facing camera w/dual-tone LED flash
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat.4
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), WI-FI direct, hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS support
• NFC support
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio (TBC)
• micro USB 2.0 (MHL-support), USB host
• 3,000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 5.0 Lollipop w/Zen UI
• 156.5 x 77.2 x 10.8mm, 170g

As for their retail tradition, the Zenfone Selfie will be available with two different SKUs. One with a 2GB RAM/16GB ROM variant and with a 3GB RAM/32GB ROM combo

No words from Asus Philippines as of now for it's local availability.

Starmobile Knight Luxe : Their slimmest smartphone yet

Recently, a Facebook user leaked two new upcoming devices from the local brand Starmobile, the Knight Luxe and Up Neo. And today, the latter made its debut on Happy Man by Starmobile's Facebook page.

So the Knight Luxe is their slimmest one at on 6.85mm. It has a pretty attractive and premium look with a unique "banig-like" design on the back cover.

The main selling point though is its AMOLED display. Well, AMOLED is not new nowadays but I'm glad that the display technology is making its way to our local brands.

The other selling point is the ISOCELL camera on its back. Supposedly, since it's the same sensor used by the Galaxy S5, I expect that the images taken using the Knight Luxe's camera will par with the S5's.

So enough of talks, here are the full list of specifications courtesy of RNovino from Pinoyscreencast :

KNIGHT LUXE

• 5-inch AMOLED display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi), Scratch-resistant glass
• MediaTek MT6592M chipset
• 1.4Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 650Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 13MP AF BSI rear-camera (Samsung ISOCELL) w/LED flash
• 5MP front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n, hotspot, Bluetooth
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
• micro USB 2.0
• USB OTG support
• 2,050mAh Li-Ion battery
• 141.3 x 70.6 x 6.85mm, 118g

SRP : P7,690.00

Well, it does not have some fancy features like LTE connectivity or NFC.

In my opinion, there are other phones with better feature set at this price range but nevertheless, the AMOLED display and the ISOCELL camera is there and don't forget the premium feel that comes with the device.

You can leave your comments and opinions below.

Two Nexus smartphones to make their debut this year

A couple of months after introduction of Motorola's Nexus 6, earlier speculations arise about a new Nexus device. Some of them even reported that two Nexus devices are planned to be released and yes, those speculations were indeed true.

Official words from Google reported that they will introduce two Nexus smartphones this year. The first Nexus smartphone will be once again, made by LG and the other one will be made by the Chinese smartphone maker, Huawei. Despite of these two Nexus smartphones, Google said that they will not introduce a new Nexus tablet, instead, they will just stick with the Nexus 9 for the rest of the year.

So the LG-made Nexus smartphone under the codename "Angler" will sport a 5.2-inch display with an unknown resolution, (probably QHD) powered by a Snapdragon 808 chipset whereas LG is making it as a consideration. Other hardware include a 2,700mAh battery under the hood.

The Huawei-made Nexus smartphone on the other hand, under the codename "Bullhead" will sport a larger 5.7-inch display powered by a Snapdragon 810 chipset and has a 3,500mAh battery. Seemed like previous rumors about the Huawei Nexus phone were all true.

As mentioned, this two devices will make their debut later this year, maybe around Q3 and Q4 of 2015.

(News source : GSMArena.com)

SKK Mobile Aura : Cheapest quad-core phablet with a large battery

SKK Mobile wants to prove something. They wanted to dominate the sub-3K price range with affordable quad-core phones and after releasing the Lynx Lite and Lynx Edge both of which are affordable quad-core smartphones, new quad-core devices are up for grabs below the 3K price range, this time, with bigger displays. One of them is the SKK Mobile Aura.

Judging by the specs, it's a very competitive release since other phones at this price range doesn't even have quad-core chipsets. Of course, the main highlight of this phone is the large qHD display and the large amount of power to back you up.

For starters, here are the specs :

AURA

• 5.5-inch IPS LCD display (540x960 pixels, 200ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 5MP AF rear-camera w/LED flash
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, hotspot, Bluetooth
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
• micro USB 2.0
• 2,800mAh Li-Ion battery

PRICE : P2,999.00

I think the only compromise is its 512MB of RAM but nevertheless, at this price range, don't expect too much. What you pay is what you get, atleast it has a sizeable amount of battery which should last for a day to day usage.

MyPhone officially launched the Infinity 2, Infinity Lite 2 and Infinity LTE

Today, at a small launching event held by MyPhone, the 2nd-generation Infinity series smartphones were made official.

If my memory sets me right, some live leaks circulated on the web showing the Infinity 2 and Infinity Lite 2 both available at a particular store ahead of their official announcement. Well, it also happened with their Rio 2 series before it was launched.

So three smartphones were unveiled namely, Infinity 2, Infinity Lite 2 and Infinity LTE. Obviously, the first two smartphones mentioned were the successors to their old Infinity phones.

It's interesting to note that MyPhone decided to make the Infinity 2 Lite available in two versions (8GB and 16GB)

Without further ado, here are the official specifications of the Infinity trio :

INFINITY 2

• 5-inch AMOLED Full-lamination display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• MediaTek MT6752M 64-bit chipset
•  1.4Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53
• 700Mhz Mali-T760 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP AF BSI Sony IMX214 rear camera (f/2.2 aperture, blue-glass filter lens) w/LED flash
• 5MP AF front-facing camera w/LED flash
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat.4
• Dual SIM (Micro + Nano)
• WI-FI a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• Micro-USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack
• 2,450mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 139 x 68 x 5.8mm

PRICE : P12,799.00

As you can see on the images below courtesy of swirlingovercoffee.com, the Infinity 2 look so premium with its aluminum build, and with a 5.9mm thickness, it's one of the thinnest smartphones ever released by a local brand.

INFINITY LITE 2

• 5-inch IPS LCD Full-lamination display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (TBC)
• MediaTek MT6592M 32-bit chipset
•  1.4Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 600Mhz Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 1GB/2GB RAM
• 8GB/16GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP AF BSI rear camera w/LED flash
• 5MP front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• Micro-USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack
• 2,800mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

PRICE : 8GB - P7,399.00
              16GB - P8,399.00

This one takes some of Infinity 2's hardware like the display, as well as the chipset used. What's unusual is that it's available in two variants. First is the 8GB variant with 1GB of RAM while the other 16GB variant comes with 2GB of RAM. It also comes with a larger battery than the Infinity 2 rated at 2,800mAh.

INFINITY LTE

• 5-inch IPS LCD Full-lamination display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 64-bit chipset (TBC)
•  1.2Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53
• Adreno 306 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP AF rear camera w/LED flash
• 5MP front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat.4
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• Micro-USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack
• 2,820mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

PRICE : P8,000+

So this one runs on a Snapdragon 410 chipset, and is the largest smartphone unveiled under the Infinity series.

Well, to be honest, I think there are other smartphones that's way better but is priced the same with the three smartphones. But if you prefer the looks and I think, the quality, then you can choose between the three above mentioned devices.

MediaTek Helio™ X20 : World's first deca-core (10-core) mobile chipset

Truth to be told, mobile smartphone industry is today's largest of it's kind and companies related with it are still discovering new ways to make it grow. Let's take MediaTek as an example, a Taiwanese fabless semiconductor company venturing into smartphone chipset industry known for their high-performance chipsets with lower than usual prices.

After making the whole world stop by releasing the first ever true-octa core chipset, it seems like they want to do it again, this time by introducing world's first 10-core chipset, the MediaTek Helio™ X20.

Actually, there are two chipsets available under their new Helio series but the X2ī0 is far more interesting than the X10 so I'll gonna focus with the former.

So as mentioned, the X20 is the first ever deca-core chipset, that's 10-cores available for smartphone processing.

What makes the ten-core up in moving is the touted Tri-Cluster™ technology. Much like ARM's big.LITTLE architecture, the 10-cores are separated in three different clusters for different degree of usage respectively. So the first cluster is for heavy usage which is composed of two ARM Cortex-A72 cores clocked at 2.5Ghz, the next cluster is for moderate usage which uses four ARM Cortex-A53 cores all clocked at 2Ghz. The third and last cluster is for light usage which uses another four ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.4Ghz. So the aforementioned Tri-Cluster technology ensures that each of the three clusters are used depending on usage. For example, light gaming and some casual texting will only use the cluster with the lower-clocked processors. This ensures maximum performance with very minimal battery consumption. According to MediaTek, this technology can save up to 30% more battery.

"By leading with mobile CPU architecture and multimedia innovation, MediaTek continues to push the envelope of power efficiency and peak performance"

     - Jeffrey Ju, Senior VP of MediaTek

In line with its top notch performance is the advanced features that it offers.

FEATURES :

• Dual main-cameras with built-in 3D depth engines that allows for a faster shot-to-shot experience in creating complex depth of field images.

• Multi-scale de-noise engines to deliver high quality images with unprecedented detail, color accuracy and sharpness under extreme condition

• A 120Hz mobile display that breaks the barriers of the current 60Hz refresh rate to provide crisp and responsive browsing and uncompromised motion viewing

• An integrated, low-power motion processor - ARM Cortex-
M4 - to support diverse always-on applications such as MP3 playback and voice activation. The sensor hub operates on an isolated, low power domain to assist with tasks for better battery efficiency.

(SOURCE : MediaTek)

MediaTek said that on Q3 (July - Sept.) this year, the Helio X20 will be available for sampling and is expected to make its debut by the end of this year, perhaps through Chinese flagships from Meizu, Xiaomi and Oppo.

With all of the above being said, the Helio X20 is a testament to the ever growing smartphone industry and MediaTek still continues to provide us with such products to enhance our smartphone experience.

So I'm expecting to see our local brands using this chipset by the end of 2016, let's wait and see if what the competition holds.

Firefly Mobile's newest devices, the Intense X and Intense Mini

Firefly Mobile, a local smartphone brand has been hot for a while after releasing their Intense 64 LTE which, frankly received some pretty good reception. Well, it's quite successful to say the least since they opted to release two new smartphones as a part of their Intense line.

First of the two is the higher-spec'd INTENSE X. It's a cheaper and less-powerful alternative to their Intense 64 LTE. Well, for a price of just P5,999, you will get a pretty decent device for your daily smartphone needs.

So it has a rather large 5.5-inch HD display, that's 1280x720 pixels. Under the hood runs a MediaTek MT6592M chipset, which equates into eight Cortex-A7 cored clocked at 1.4Ghz and is coupled by an ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU. Multi-tasking is handled by a mere 1GB of RAM. It has 16GB of internal storage which is expandable via microSD card up to 128GB (WOW !).

To complete your idea about the device, here are the full list of specs :

INTENSE X

• 5.5-inch IPS OGS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 267ppi), Asahi Dragontrail Glass
• MediaTek MT6592M chip set
• 1.4Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 600Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB
• 13MP AF BSI rear camera (f/2.2 aperture) w/LED flash
• 8MP AF? BSI front-facing camera (Samsung sensor, f/2.8 aperture)
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n (dual-band), Bluetooth, GPS w/A-GPS
• Smart PS audio processor by NXP
• USB OTG support, HotKnot wireless transfer
• 2,700mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat w/OTA wireless update

SRP : P5,999.00

FREEBIES :
• Smart flip-cover
• 2x screen protector
• Firefly Mobile basic phone

Next in line is the more cheaper and smaller INTENSE MINI. Interestingly enough, cheaper price doesn't mean that the specs should be lowered too much. Frankly, it seems like they just made it smaller and more compact.

So as mentioned, it has a smaller 4.5-inch qHD IPS display. Powering the device is the same MediaTek MT6592M chipset coupled by 1GB of RAM. It has 8GB of internal storage capable of memory expansion up to 64GB via microSD card.

To complete this of, here are the full list of specifications :

INTENSE MINI

• 4.5-inch IPS OGS LCD display (540x960 pixels, 245ppi), Asahi Dragontrail Glass
• MediaTek MT6592M chipset
• 1.4Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 600Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB
• 8MP AF BSI rear camera (f/2.8 aperture) w/LED flash
• 5MP AF? BSI front-facing camera  (f/2.8 aperture)
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS w/A-GPS
• Smart PS audio processor by NXP
• USB OTG support, HotKnot wireless transfer
• Android 4.4 KitKat w/OTA wireless update

SRP : P4,499.00

FREEBIES :
• 2x back-cover (2 colors)
• Silicon case
• 2x screen protector
• Firefly Mobile basic phone

Both phones come in a very attractive and slim designs, Firefly Mobile claimed that even their logos are carefully and precisely printed so not a single detail on ergonomics will be wasted.

Also, both of them are available for online purchase at Lazada.ph

So yeah, both devices are quite decent for their respective prices to say the least. Firefly Mobile is trying to differentiate themselves by offering tons of valuable freebies for each purchase which makes their offerings a bang for the buck deal if you ask me.